Laws of the Sea, with reference to Maritime Commerce, during peace and war. From the German of Frederick J. Jacobsen, advocate; Altona, 1815. By William Frick, Counsellor at law. Baltimore, E. J. Coale, 1818. 8vo. pp. 636.

THIS work commences with a common-place remark on the necessity of simple laws and an able administration. In stating the deplorable consequence arising from an "ignorance of what was law at sea," the author refers to an illustration which is rather unfortunate. He says immense sums were lost by a single commercial house in Hamburg, during the blockade of the Elbe and Weser, because the parties had not informed themselves of the doctrine of England on this subject, as it had been previously settled (5 Rob. 78) by the earlier decisions of her courts. Thus America by the fate of the Essex, Orme master, lost several millions," &c. According to this language, what is law at sea, is to be learned, not in the great code of ethics, but in the English courts of justice;-in courts which proceed, confessedly not by those rules which prescribe what is right and forbid what is wrong, but according to the orders of the, king's privy council. These orders jare regulated by political exigencies and become law only because they are promulgated at the mouth of the cannon. The day of their dominion, we trust, has passed away; or if such arrogant claims be asserted we think a court of appeals will ere long be found to protect the rights of humanity, against the usurpations of power.

The object of the industrious compiler of these pages is to give a general view of commercial law. To this task he brings no ordinary advantages. He has studied the best practical jurists among the Italians, the French, English, Dutch, Danish and Germans. During several years he has maintained a correspondence with men conversant in narrative affairs, to which moreover he adds a professional experience of sixteen years. He represents himself as being anxious to contribute more effectually to the protection of private property, before the commencement of hostilities, (p. 31) of which providence Great Britain affords admirable examples to induce stronger precautions against neutralizing

and its dangerous consequences during foreign wars, (p. 32) and greater solicitude for the lives and comfort of seamen, (pp. 81. 124) as well as a more liberal education to masters of vessels; (p. 83)-economy as to those wages which are earned with so many perils and pains, (p. 157)-precautions against the frauds of bankrupts in the assignment of the bill of lading, (p. 173) together with a simplification of the ship's papers, (p. 310)-toprocure for seamen the advantage of independent counsel (p. 380) -to extend general and correct principles of seizure at sea, securing equally the rights of belligerents and neutrals, (p. 394)— to procure a more certain definition of maritime territory, (p. 415) to afford to mariners a better security, that a deviation for the preservation and safety of others, might not be prejudicial in any respect, (p. 552)-to distinguish carefully between salvage and the mere cases of lighterage, (p. 553)-to procure the appointment of mariners and men learned in maritime law, in decisions on maritime causes, (p. 555)—to procure the grounds of decision to be incorporated with every maritime judgment, (p. 556) &c. Prefixed to each chapter there is a list of "books of general reference," to which the reader may have recourse, if he wish to pursue the subject more fully. These introductions present to an American lawyer, many names of some of which he would desire to know more. The Consolato, for instance, which is mentioned in the first chapter, has been translated into English, in this country, though not published, and there is a very minute bibliography of this venerable code, with specimens of the translation in one of the volumes of Hall's Law Journal. Our bar has likewise given to the profession, the first English translations of select parts of Pothier, Bynkershoeck, Emerigon, Roccus &c., which deserve notice in this volume, from the translator.

Of the manner in which the translation has been executed, we cannot speak fully, because we have never seen the original; but from an intimate acquaintance with the author, we are satisfied both as to his competency and his faithfulness. The style is very clear, and, with a few exceptions, correct. Like the Rambler in Italy whom we have elsewhere noticed, he too thinks he is necessitated, (p. 360) to use such vulgarisms as progressed (p.

xxiii) and obligated, (pp. 4. 354.) He blunders in the first sentence of his own preface, when he says, that the want of a system is a desideratum, &c. It is the system, in this sentence which the learned have not been able, hitherto, to settle, and which, there fore, is the desideratum. These might be called trifling criticisms, were it not that such instances of carelessness have been neglected, until they are marked as characteristics of the American style. The profession is much indebted to Mr. Frick for so meritorious an employment of his leisure hours, and we recommend his labours to the attention of merchants, whose dealings require some knowledge of the usages and customs of foreign countries, in matters relating to maritime commerce.

Rambles in Italy; in the years 1816-17. By an American. Baltimore, N. G. Maxwell. 8vo. pp. 372.

"I was once in Italy myself," says the honest old Roger Ascham; "but I thank God, my abode was there but nine days." Our American traveller tarried somewhat longer in these classical regions, and he has made a more favourable report than the learned schoolmaster. Italy must always afford matter for profound reflection to the citizen of a republic, because in that nation he beholds an awful warning against those political abuses to which every institution purely human, is more or less liable. Liberty was extinguished in that fair portion of the globe, in the fifteenth century. The very name vanished from Lombardy and Naples; Rome had forgotten all her glory; Sienna, Genoa and Pisa, successively sought shelter from the madness of the multitude in the despotism of individual tyrants. Still the muses lingered in the groves that were once the resort of heroes, and eloquence endeavoured to revive the elevated sentiments of days that were gone. But all enthusiasm soon departed from that fertile soil, and the severe virtues by which ancient Rome had been upheld, could no longer flourish among a degenerate people. Painting is now extinct among them; engraving has become a mere trade; nor can it be expected that science and philosophy would be cultivated, where the manners are directly opposed to the nobler feelings of our nature. Music, which is common to all nations,

x